Mahavatar Babaji ~ Babaji Nagaraj
37 posts

The worldly bank of life seems to float only on noise. The sound of life expresses only on the surface. But deep down in the under current is the shrine of silence, the seat of the Self. It is the Kingdom of Heaven within the inner sanctuary of your heart, beyond all the noises of life. Silence is an unseen power, the magical masterkey of life, the dynamics of the soul and the fountain of bliss. Manifest that ever and ever, no matter how terrific or terrible the distracting outward noise. It is easy to be silent in solitude and busy in the bustle, but more difficult to keep the head in solitude while the hands are in society. Express the silence of solitude in the bustle of the world.

When the clouds are dispersed, the sun shines by itself. The whole difficulty lies in the process, in the struggle to know the real technique of the procedure and not in the actual attainment. There is struggle until the place of the switch is found, but the moment it is found, there is a sudden press of the switch with the effect of instantaneous light. Sadhana is the cessation of wandering, the return from the aberration, in order to rest in one’s native home. This requires great viveka and vichara shakti, true renunciation and persistent practice.

Babaji: He who repeats a mantra should entertain either the attitude of a servant (dasya bhava), or the attitude of a disciple (shishya bhava), or the attitude of a son, a child (putra bhava) while doing japa, he can also have the feeling of a friend (mitra bhava), an off-spring or of a husband, in regard to the Lord! He should also have the feeling or mental attitude that the Lord is seated in his heart, that sattva or purity is flowing to him from the Lord, that the mantra is purifying his heart, destroying desires, cravings and evil thoughts when he is doing his japa.

V.T.N.: But Babaji....

Babaji: No more buts. Enough for this book. If people followed what is contained in this , then they would be living really in a land of milk and honey. AUM Shanti Shanti Shanti.

Babaji: My child, you must bear in mind that the right of Ucchadanam is only given to very few people who are to go out as torch-bearers of the Master. That aside mental japa is, in sooth, more powerful. When mental japa is successfully practiced all worldly extraneous thoughts drop off quickly. In vaikhari and Upamshu japa, there is scope for the mind to have its own ways. The tongue may be repeating the mantra, but the mind may be busy with other thoughts. Mental japa closes the avenues, though worldly thoughts may try to enter the mind. In other words, the trap-door through which thoughts enter the mental factory is closed when the mantra is being repeated. The mind is filled with the power of the mantra. But you should be vigilant and prevent sleep from overpowering the mind. Desires, sleep and various sensual thoughts obstruct the successful performance of mental japa. Regular practice, sincere attempts, sleepless vigilance and earnestness can bring complete success in mental japa.

Babaji: You must understand, my child, and you must make it clear to one and all (both in your writings and lectures, or even in casual talks) that no Divine Power would harm a devotee. The false teaching of the wrath of God must be completely got rid of. If one does japa in a hurry or without understanding the meaning, it cannot have any evil reaction, but the spiritual progress will be slow when the mantra is repeated in a hurry without bhava or faith. Even when any mantra is repeated unconsciously or hurriedly without bhava, without understanding its meaning, it produces beneficial results, just as fire burns inflammable objects when they are brought near.

V.T.N.: Satguru Deva, what are the signs that indicate that the mantra is really benefiting the sadhaka ?

Babaji: The sadhaka who practices Mantra Yoga will feel the Presence of the Lord at all times. He will feel the Divine ecstasy and holy thrill in the heart. He will possess all divine qualities. He will have a pure mind and a heart. He will feel horripilation. He will shed tears of prem(Love). He will have holy communion with the Lord.

Babaji: First practice with open eyes. Tratak on the picture. Place it in front of you. Then close the eyes and visualize the picture. Then meditate on the attributes of the Lord, such as omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresent, purity, perfection etc.

Babaji: When you meditate on AUM or repeat AUM mentally, you should entertain the bhava or feeling: 'I am the all-pervading, pure, satchitananda atma.' You need not be one with the sound. What is wanted is feeling with the meaning I am Brahman.

Babaji: It is not the number of japa but purity, concentration, bhava, feeling and one-pointedness of mind that helps the aspirant in the attainment of God-consciousness. You should not do the japa in a hurried manner, as a contractor tries to finish off work in a hurried way. You must do it with bhava, purity, one-pointedness of mind and single-minded devotion.

V.T.N.: How does japa burn the old vicious samskaras ?

Babaji: Just as fire has got the property of burning, so also the names of the Lord have got the property of burning the sins and the old vicious samskaras.

Babaji: You must not use the index finger while rolling the beads. You must use the thumb and the middle of the third finger. When counting of one mala is over revert it and come back again. Do not cross the meru. Do the rosary with the towel over the hand, so that the mala may not be visible.

V.T.N.: Can I do japa while walking?

Babaji: Yes. You can do it mentally. There is no restriction for japa when it is done with nishkamya bhava, for the sake of realizing God alone.

V.T.N.: What should be the bhava while repeating the mantra?

Babaji: You can take your ishta devata as your Master or Guru or Father or friend or Beloved. You can have any bhava which suits you best.

Babaji: Yes, my child, yes. There is a mysterious power in the mantra and this mantra shakti brings meditation and samadhi and also brings the devotee face to face with God!

V.T.N.: Should an advanced aspirant use a rosary?

Babaji: It is not necessary for an advanced aspirant. But when sleep overpowers him he can take to rolling of the beads and when the mind is tired of japa, by way of relaxation he can take to rolling of the beads.

V.T.N.: What is the use of repeating the mantra again and again?

Babaji: It gives force. It intensifies the spiritual samskaras.

V.T.N.: Can I repeat two or three mantras?

Babaji: You, my child, need do nothing. You must ever be my child and carry my torch to far-off lands, to every nook and corner. For you it is enough to think and realize that you are my child. For others, it is better to stick to one mantra alone. If you are a devotee of the Lord Sri Krishna try to see Him and Him only in Shiva, Druga, Gayatri etc. also. All are forms of the one God or Ishwara. Worship of Krishna is worhsip of Rama also and vice versa.

Babaji: "Japa is the repetition of the mantra of a Devata. Dhyana is meditation on His or Her form and attributes. It is the keeping up a continuous flow of one idea of God."

V.T.N.: "What is japa sahita dhyana and japa rahita dhyana?"

Babaji: "The aspirant is repeating the mantra and at the same time he is meditating on the form of his ishta Devata. A Krishna bhakta repeats the mantra 'Aum namo bhagavate vasudevaya' and at the same time he visualizes the rupa of the Lord, Sri Krishna. This is japa sahita dhyana. In japa rahita dhyana the devotee continues his japa for sometime along with the meditation and afterwards the japa drops by itself and he is established in meditation only."

The Self dwells in all. All are manifestations of the one God. By injuring another you injure your own self. By serving another you serve your own self. Love all, serve all, hate none and insult none, in thought word and deed.

"Two amazing incidents of Babaji's life are known to me,"
Kebalananda went on. "His disciples were sitting one night around a huge fire which was blazing for a sacred Vedic ceremony. The master suddenly seized a burning log and lightly struck the bare shoulder of a chela who was close to the fire.
"Sir, how cruel!' Lahiri Mahasaya, who was present, made this remonstrance.
"Would you rather have seen him burned to ashes before your eyes, according to the decree of his past karma?"
"With this words Babaji placed his healing hand on the chela's disfigured shoulder. 'I have freed you tonight from painful death. The karmic law has been satisfied through your slight suffering by fire.'
"On another occasion Babaji's sacred circle was disturbed by the arrival of a stranger. He has climbed with astonishing skill to the nearly inaccessible ledge near the camp of the master.
"Sir, you must be the great Babaji.' The man's face was lit with inexpressible reverence. 'For months I have pursued ceaseless search for you among these forbidding crags. I implore you to accept me as a disciple.'
"When the great guru made no response, the man pointed to the rocky chasm at his feet.
"If you refuse me, I will jump from this mountain. Life has no further value if I cannot win your guidance to the Divine.'
"Jump then' Babaji said unemotionally. 'I cannot accept you in your present state of development.'
"The man immediately hurled himself over the ciff. Babaji instructed the shocked disciples to fetch the stranger's body. When they returned with the mangled form, the master placed his divine hand on the dead man. Lo! he opened his eyes and prostrated himself humbly before the omnipotent one.
"You are now ready for discipleship.' Babaji beamed lovingly on his resurrected chela. 'You have courageously passed a difficult test. Death shall not touch you again; now you are one of our immortal flock.' Then he spoke his usual words of departure, 'Dera danda uthao'; the whole group vanished from the mountain."

- The Following is the word by word reproduction of what the Sathguru Deva was pleased to tell me at 10:30 pm, on September 26, 1952, and I have craved his indulgence to permit the sharing of my treasure with one and all of you, good readers. You would do well to reflect on the following Truth. Feel and fill yourself with it by silent meditation for as many hours, nay as many days and months or even years, until You are That.

"I am Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute. I am That by very nature. I cannot be anything else but That, as I am That alone without a beginning and an end. It is My real nature. I am the Absolute & Supreme Self, both within & without the finitude. I am Truth, eternal & everlasting. I am the only One, all in Myself. None exists save I, in & through all that exist. I am ever All Existence itself. I am the changeless One in the midst of all changes. I am the Formless in all forms. Change is linked up with form, and form is labeled with change. But I am beyond the two. I am not susceptible to all the ills of the flesh that exist crawling under the feet of form & change. I am the monistic unity, here, there & everywhere & at all times- nay for all times. Where is happiness, except in perfect realization of the One without second? I feel I am happiness itself. All Bliss I am. All joy I am. It is only My Bliss that is being felt and enjoyed by every one in a dimmer or brighter magnitude, consciously or unconsciously. All Bliss is Infinity and Infinity alone is all Bliss, I am, indeed, Brahman, the basic priciple, from which the whole universe seems to have come. I am the same in each & everything. I am all peace and all calm within myself. I am of the nature of Being, Brightness & Bliss Absolute. There is not even an iota of doubt about this. This is My eternal truth. I am the One monistic permanent entity in the whole world, which is made up of broken fragments of delusion, of fickle & fleeting modifications and of the glitter of fool's gold. I seat Myself in the very heart of delusion undeluded. I am ever steady & steadfast in all its trumblings & stumblings. I am always firm in all its fleetings. I am the One eternal Truth, in all falsehood. I am pure Bliss of Perfect Freedom. I am the simple life of Eternity. I am the one Light of everlasting Truth. I am the virgin love of Immortality. I am the essence of all-pervading Infinity, I am the sole breath of all Nature. I am Truth, Freedom, Life, Light & Love. I am Eternity, Immortality & Infinity. I am One without a Second, the one in All and the All in all. I am the Supreme wisdom unconcerned with all the trade that Jiva carries on with the Jagat. I am the subtlest of the subtle, an embodiment of indivisibility Itself. Eternal knower am I of the triplet, namely subject, object and their relation, and also I am their fundamental background on which they express themselves on the relative plane and dissolve themselves in the absolute plane. I shine in the sun and the moon and the stars and the whole universe. I am the sun of suns, shining in the sun above. I am the crystal light in the sun and virgin purity in the moon. I am the twinkling spark in the star and the sustaining Principle in the universe. I shine, the sun shines. The sun warmly whispers unto Me of My eternal Presence in it. I am really all Myself in everything - the sun, the moon, the star and the whole cosmos. I am Atman without a form, incapable of division and of everlasting Bliss. I am ever immaculate. I am the all-pervading One, unlimited by time, unbounded by space, pure & holy by my own nature. I am infinite and an abode of immortal knowledge and perfect Freedom. I am the Absolute, the Eternal Bliss, pervading everywhere, within & without. I am the only One, pure, unchangeable & uniform essence or entity, birthless & deathless. I am the everlasting principle of dynamic existence beyond the reach of imagination, destitute of all duality & unity. I am neither inaccessible nor accessible to knowledge, neither bound nor free and neither a doer nor an enjoyer. I am the One & the All and I am ever All Myself. None else exists. I am He, the monistic uncontradictable, attributeless Bliss. I am beyond concentration, meditation, Yoga and all other practices, I am indivisible and of the nature of self-resplendent consciousness. I am the consciousness of the Reality which does not admit of differentiation. I alone am all-inclusive, constitute the ultimate goal and self consciousness, pure & simple. I am absolutely non-dual in My nature. I am, indeed, Brahman, without difference, without change and of the nature of Reality, Knowledge & Bliss. I am the living ocean of ecstasy that rages wild and surges and storms and levels down the earth & heavens. I send such continuous wave after wave of inarticulate ecstasy into the world drowning deep and scattering all its thoughts & cares. I beat in every beast. see in every eye, throb in every pulse, smile in every flower, shine in the lightening and roar in the thunder. I flutter in the leaves, I hiss in the winds and I roll in the surging seas. I am the Wisdom of the wise, the Strength of the strong and the Heroism of the heroic. I am the very life of infinity both within & without. i am the One in the all and the All in One. I am the Impersonal Personality of the whole universe. What can make Me afraid? I care not for the nature's laws. Death is a joke to me and I am the death of death. I am the Infinite, The Eternal and the Immortal Self. Me, no fire can burn, no water melt, no air dry and no sword pierce. I am that Supreme Self before whose magnitude the suns and moons and all their systems appear, as insignificant specks in the ocean and before whose glory space melts away into nothingness. Time vanishes into non-existence and causation dwindles into emptiness. Ranging beyond names & forms, passing free into woods & forests, mountains & rivers, into day & night, clouds & stars, passing free into men & women, animals & angels, as the self of each and all, am I. Truth flows from Me, just as light radiates from the sun and fragrance emanates from a flower. Sometimes it rushes and envelopes all rumbling & thundering, shaking and waking the world into true import of life. I fill and thrill the whole world with this one Truth of Freedom, My Godhead. I am the Transcendental Bliss, the Absolute Intelligence, the Supreme synthesis of Consciousness that shines in the shrine of every heart. I am the divine inner harmony of the universe in the unruffled stillness of the soul. I am the one music of all life in the deepest depths. I am the immutable & indescribable Atman, the dynamic principle of Existence and the infinite ocean of everlasting glee. In my presence, all hells & heavens are effaced into shadowy nothingness and the whole universe is a mere bubble, ever ready to burst. Night & day get themselves dissolved, pairs of opposites vanish, bondage of matter is broken, name & form evaporate and the whole cosmos melts like a dream and I am Myself the eternal and the all-abiding Reality, the glorious, majestic, infinite & independent Self. I am the chief and unshaken center of gravity making of this whole universe, as it is, a zero. And I bathe the world in Nectar of everlasting Bliss flooding forth from within and thus sweep it off its meum and tuum."

I am Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute. I am That by very nature. I cannot be anything else but That, as I am That alone without a beginning and an end. It is My real nature. I am the Absolute & Supreme Self, both within & without the finitude. I am Truth, eternal & everlasting. I am the only One, all in Myself. None exists save I, in & through all that exist. I am ever All Existence itself. I am the changless One in the midst of all changes. I am the Formless in all forms. Change is linked up with form, and form is labeled with change. But I am beyond the two. I am not suseptible to all the ills of the flesh that exist crawling under the feet of form & change. I am the monistic unity, here, there & everywhere & at all times- nay for all times. Where is happiness, except in perefect realization of the One without second? I feel I am happiness itself. All Bliss I am. All joy I am. It is only My Bliss that is being felt and enjoyed by every one in a dimmer or brighter magnitude, conciously or unconsciously. All Bliss is Infinity and Infinity alone is all Bliss, I am, indeed, Brahman, the basic priciple, from which the whole universe seems to have come. I am the same in each & everything. I am all peace and all calm within myself. I am of the nature of Being, Brightness & Bliss Absolute. There is not even an iota of doubt about this. This is My eternal truth. I am the One monistic permanent entity in the whole world, which is made up of broken fragments of delusion, of fickle & fleeting modifications and of the glitter of fool's gold. I seat Myself in the very heart of delusion undeluded. I am ever steady & steadfast in all its trumblings & stumblings. I am always firm in all its fleetings. I am the One eternal Truth, in all falsehood. I am pure Bliss of Perfect Freedom. I am the simple life of Eternity. I am the one Light of everlasting Turth. I am the virgin love of Immortality. I am the essence of all-pervading Infinity, I am the sole breath of all Nature. I am Truth, Freedom, Life, Light & Love. I am Eternity, Immortality & Infinity. I am One without a Second, the one in All and the All in all. I am the Supreme wisdom unconcenrned with all the trade that Jiva carries on with the Jagat. I am the subtlest of the subtle, an embodiment of indivisibility Itself. Eternal knower am I of the triplet, namely subject, object and their relation, and also I am their fundamental background on which they express themselves on the relative plane and dissolve themselves in the absolute plane. I shine in the sun and the moon and the stars and the whole universe. I am the sun of suns, shining in the sun above. I am the crystal light in the sun and virgin purity in the moon. I am the twinkling spark in the star and the sustaining Principle in the universe. I shine, the sun shines. The sun warmly whispers unto Me of My eternal Presence in it. I am really all Myself in everything - the sun, the moon, the star and the whole cosmos. I am Atman without a form, incapable of division and of everlasting Bliss. I am ever immaculate. I am the all-pervading One, unlimited by time, unbounded by space, pure & holy by my own nature. I am infinite and an abode of immortal knoweldge and perfect Freedom. I am the Absolute, the Eternal Bliss, pervading everywhere, within & without. I am the only One, pure, unchangable & uniform essence or entity, birthless & deathless.

O Kriya Mulaguru Babaji, adorable Lord of compassion, salutations to You. Give us inner spiritual strength to resist temptation and melt into You, this ego, which is harder than granite or diamond. Let us always be Your chosen playmate in the wonderful game You play in all the worlds. Let us understand Your mysterious lila. Let us be a perennial channel of Your sweet love to all Your children. Utilize our body, the senses and the mind for Your unhampered play.

O hidden love ! O un-decaying beauty. Let our souls rest peacefully in You, forever & ever ! O Light of Lights! O shinning One! We live for You. We behold You in the smiles of children, in the tears of the afflicted, in our thoughts, emotions &sentiments, in the morning dew of the Himalayan landscape in the rays of the sun.

O Babaji, my Father, my All. My cave-like puja room is filled with Your sweet presence. I eat Your benign grace in my daily food. I taste Your radiant love in my daily drink. You are the ocean of love & compassion. Let our love for You become a roaring flame. Withdraw from me whatever evil there is. Fill my heart with purity, goodness, love & sublime virtues. Make me Immortal so that I may carry the Torch as You have commanded.

O Lord, reveal unto everyone of us that love, You, your enchanting form. Make us feel Your living presence and fill our hearts with love. Let us merge ourselves in You and walk in the path of righteousness. Cleanse our mind of all evil thoughts and help us to concentrate our minds on Your Lotus Feet. Embrace us and make us pure. Teach us to be still and enjoy Your magnificent vision. Illumine our minds with the light of true knowledge and make our story heart melt and flow towards You. Lord Thou art the Creator of this universe. Thou art the protector of this world. Thou art in the grass and in the rose and Thou art in the sun & stars.

Salutations unto Thee, O Bestower of joy & bliss! Sweet Lord! Let me be free from the clutches of death, let me be able to look upon all beings with equal vision and let me be free from impurity & sin. Give me strength to serve Thee and the humanity untiringly. Make me, my 'other half' and 'the third', fit as perfect instruments for Thy work and make us pure & strong. I bow to Thee, O Indweller of all hearts, O Secret of Secrets! Remove my weakness, defects & evil thoughts. Make me pure, so that I may be able to receive Thy grace & blessings.

O Lord! Thou art the thread that connects all beings. Thou pervade all, permeate & penetrate all things of this Universe. Thou art the Light Divine. Thou art the Dispeller of ignorance and Thou art the All-Merciful Lord. Give me a life without disease.

It is easy in the world, to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own, but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps up perfect sweetness and independence of solitude.

"Babaji's spiritual state is beyond human comprehension," Sri Yukteswar explained to me. "The dwarfed vision of men cannot pierce ti his transcendental star. One attempts in vain even to picture the avatar's attainment. It is inconceivable."

Religion is to be seen in life you live, and not in the words you speak or write or in some particular external ritualistic action or observance that people call religion, for worldly man and woman, I recommend nothing so emphatically as service and surrender.

I know this great Atman,
Radiant like the self-effulgent sun
And beyond the darkness of ignorance.
By knowing Him alone one crosses the ocean of death.
There is no other way. There is no other way.
Today will be a Happy Day,
If first alone you go apart from worldly things,
And in your heart you make resolve to pray,
And then, to Babaji you leave the rest,
For Babaji will take the hate and fear
Of yesterday and yesteryear,
And in their place he'd make you feel
The Light and Love He would reveal,
Yes, this will be a Happy Day,
If, friend, right now you will start and pray.